The much-awaited Yamuna Bank-Anand Vihar line of the Delhi Metro railway will finally be thrown open to the public this coming Thursday. The Commissioner for Metro Railway Safety, R. K. Kardam, inspected the line on Monday and a formal clearance is expected on Tuesday.
According to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation officials, the line will be inaugurated by Union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy in the presence of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at 12 noon on Wednesday, subject to receiving the safety certification on Tuesday.
The 6.25 km-long line, planned to be opened to the public from 6 a.m. on Thursday, has five stations -- Laxmi Nagar, Nirman Vihar, Preet Vihar, Karkardooma and Anand Vihar. About one lakh commuters are expected to use it everyday. The trial runs on the section were started in December.
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The opening of the line was delayed first on account of strengthening work on the cantilever pillars on the section following the mishap at Zamrudpur and then by the paucity of trains.
The Anand Vihar metro station has been planned as an integrating terminal that will bring together three modes of public transport -- the metro, the Indian Railways and the inter-State bus terminus. Its proximity to Uttar Pradesh will mean additional rush of people on the stretch.